Category: Uniform Numbers Real and Rented

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>Uniform Numbers Real and Rented Part 5

>Since we are already in June and the intention of this series was to complete it before the last game at Shea, I’ll start looking at numbers in groups of 10. Today we have numbers 21 – 30 (once again with a tip of the cap to Mets By The Numbers):

21
Rightful Owner(s): Cleon Jones
Rent-A-Met(s): Carlos Delgado
Comment: Cleon played in 12 different seasons for the Mets and still has the highest single season batting average in team history. Delgado, well, he accepts a paycheck from the Mets.

22
Rightful Owner(s): Al Leiter
Rent-A-Met(s): Ray Knight & Kevin McReynolds
Comment: Yes, Knight won the World Series MVP in 1986 – he was more of a Red in his career than a Met though. Leiter is a bit of a stretch but he won more games with the Mets than any other team and he gets bonus points for growing up a Mets fan.

23
Rightful Owner(s): Doug Flynn
Rent-A-Met(s): Bernard Gilkey
Comment: It really is amazing that Flynn won a Gold Glove in 1980 – you don’t usually see that on 90+ losing teams.

24
Rightful Owner(s): Art Shamsky
Rent-A-Met(s): Willie Mays & Ricky Henderson
Comment: Honor Willie, most certainly, but he was never really a Met. As for Ricky, the less said the better.

25
Rightful Owner(s): Danny Heep
Rent-A-Met(s): Bobby Bonilla
Comment: I still can’t believe the Mets brought Bonilla back in 1999 – cause he made such a great impression during his first stint.

26
Rightful Owner(s): Dave Kingman
Rent-A-Met(s): Orlando Hernandez
Comment: Kong was really not a great ballplayer, but oh those monster sky shots.

27
Rightful Owner(s): Craig Swan
Rent-A-Met(s): Pete Harnisch
Comment: I’ve always felt bad for Swanny – he came up with the Mets right as they started getting bad in the 70’s and his career ended just as the Mets started getting good in the mid-80’s.

28
Rightful Owner(s): Bobby J. Jones
Rent-A-Met(s): Jeff Conine
Comment: Bobby J. immortalized himself with that one-hitter in the 2000 NLDS – arguably one of the top 2 or 3 pitching perfomances in Mets history. Does anyone remember that Conine was on the team last year?

29
Rightful Owner(s): Dave Magaden
Rent-A-Met(s): Frank Viola & Steve Trachsel
Comment: Everyone talks about how bad the Ryan trade was – the Viola trade ranks right up there too.

30
Rightful Owner(s): None
Rent-A-Met(s): Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, & Cliff Floyd
Comment: OK, so techincally Ryan and Scott were not “rented” by the Mets, but since they achieved greater fame and are more identified with other teams, they fall into this group. It is quite a coincidence that they both wore this number and then both pitched no-no’s for the Astros.

Please visit www.metspolice.com and help stop black uniforms.
Posted on

Uniform Numbers Real and Rented Part 5

Since we are already in June and the intention of this series was to complete it before the last game at Shea, I’ll start looking at numbers in groups of 10. Today we have numbers 21 – 30 (once again with a tip of the cap to Mets By The Numbers):

21
Rightful Owner(s): Cleon Jones
Rent-A-Met(s): Carlos Delgado
Comment: Cleon played in 12 different seasons for the Mets and still has the highest single season batting average in team history. Delgado, well, he accepts a paycheck from the Mets.

22
Rightful Owner(s): Al Leiter
Rent-A-Met(s): Ray Knight & Kevin McReynolds
Comment: Yes, Knight won the World Series MVP in 1986 – he was more of a Red in his career than a Met though. Leiter is a bit of a stretch but he won more games with the Mets than any other team and he gets bonus points for growing up a Mets fan.

23
Rightful Owner(s): Doug Flynn
Rent-A-Met(s): Bernard Gilkey
Comment: It really is amazing that Flynn won a Gold Glove in 1980 – you don’t usually see that on 90+ losing teams.

24
Rightful Owner(s): Art Shamsky
Rent-A-Met(s): Willie Mays & Ricky Henderson
Comment: Honor Willie, most certainly, but he was never really a Met. As for Ricky, the less said the better.

25
Rightful Owner(s): Danny Heep
Rent-A-Met(s): Bobby Bonilla
Comment: I still can’t believe the Mets brought Bonilla back in 1999 – cause he made such a great impression during his first stint.

26
Rightful Owner(s): Dave Kingman
Rent-A-Met(s): Orlando Hernandez
Comment: Kong was really not a great ballplayer, but oh those monster sky shots.

27
Rightful Owner(s): Craig Swan
Rent-A-Met(s): Pete Harnisch
Comment: I’ve always felt bad for Swanny – he came up with the Mets right as they started getting bad in the 70’s and his career ended just as the Mets started getting good in the mid-80’s.

28
Rightful Owner(s): Bobby J. Jones
Rent-A-Met(s): Jeff Conine
Comment: Bobby J. immortalized himself with that one-hitter in the 2000 NLDS – arguably one of the top 2 or 3 pitching perfomances in Mets history. Does anyone remember that Conine was on the team last year?

29
Rightful Owner(s): Dave Magaden
Rent-A-Met(s): Frank Viola & Steve Trachsel
Comment: Everyone talks about how bad the Ryan trade was – the Viola trade ranks right up there too.

30
Rightful Owner(s): None
Rent-A-Met(s): Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, & Cliff Floyd
Comment: OK, so techincally Ryan and Scott were not “rented” by the Mets, but since they achieved greater fame and are more identified with other teams, they fall into this group. It is quite a coincidence that they both wore this number and then both pitched no-no’s for the Astros.

Please visit www.metspolice.com and help stop black uniforms.
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Uniform Numbers Real and Rented Part 4

Back again with some more thoughts on what real Mets and what “pretend” Mets are associated with each uniform number (and thereore who should take down the Shea countdown numbers). Today, with information from Mets By The Numbers, we’re looking at 16 – 20, maybe the best group of numbers so far.

16
Rightful Owner(s): Lee Mazzilli & Dwight Gooden
Rent-A-Met(s): Derek Bell & Paul LoDuca
Comment: Two of the all-time favorites wore this number and yet the Mets continue to let others wear it? I’m not saying it should be retired, but Derek Bell? Angel Pagan is wearing it now which will change once Lee takes over as manager.

17
Rightful Owner(s): Keith Hernandez
Rent-A-Met(s): Bret Saberhagen
Comment: Yes I know Keith won his MVP and made his bones with the Cardinals – but he was the Captain. It’s a shame that 15 other guys have worn the number since.

18
Rightful Owner(s): Darryl Strawberry
Rent-A-Met(s): Moises Alou
Comment: Joel Youngblood gets a nod here as well, but Darryl will always be 18. On a side note I have really been enjoying his in studio work on SNY.

19
Rightful Owner(s): Ron Gardenhire
Rent-A-Met(s): Bobby Ojeda
Comment: OK, so Gardenhire was a stretch and with his work managing in Minnesota clearly makes him more oa Twin than a Met now. Ojeda was a Red Sox that the Mets rented, period.

20
Rightful Owner(s): Tommie Agee & Howard Johnson
Rent-A-Met(s): Shawn Green
Comment: This is a great number with both real mets contributing to the only World Series victories for the Mets. I’d give Agee the nod to take down the game number though.

Please visit www.metspolice.com and help stop black uniforms.
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>Uniform Numbers – Real and Rented Part 3

>Continuing our series of what players are (or should be) associated with each number. (Inspired by the Shea game countdown on the outfield fence). So far we’ve covered numbers 1 through 10. With thanks again to Mets By The Numbers, here now are 11 through 15:

11
Rightful Owner(s): Wayne Garret & Tim Tuefel
Rent-A-Met: None

Comment: Yes Tuefel was a Twin first, but he became a Met and has managed and coached in the system for several years now.

12
Rightful Owner(s): John Stearns & Ron Darling
Rent-A-Met: Willie Randolph

Comment: Randolph was and always will be a Yankee. Stearns was robbed of an opportunity to manage this team.

13
Rightful Owner(s): Edgardo Alfonzo
Rent-A-Met: Billy Wagner

Comment: Fonzie was perhaps the one true Met on the 1999-2000 playoff teams.

14
Rightful Owner(s): Gil Hodges
Rent-A-Met: None

Comment: Gil was a Dodger first, but will always be remembered as a Met as well. You know the Mets will trot out his widow Joan to take down the Game #14 sign.

15
Rightful Owner(s): Jerry Grote
Rent-A-Met: Carlos Beltran

Comment: When he’s not rustling cattle, Grote was a helluva defensive catcher. Beltran on the other hand has many years to go before being considered a Met.
Please visit www.metspolice.com and help stop black uniforms.
Posted on

Uniform Numbers – Real and Rented Part 3

Continuing our series of what players are (or should be) associated with each number. (Inspired by the Shea game countdown on the outfield fence). So far we’ve covered numbers 1 through 10. With thanks again to Mets By The Numbers, here now are 11 through 15:

11
Rightful Owner(s): Wayne Garret & Tim Tuefel
Rent-A-Met: None

Comment: Yes Tuefel was a Twin first, but he became a Met and has managed and coached in the system for several years now.

12
Rightful Owner(s): John Stearns & Ron Darling
Rent-A-Met: Willie Randolph

Comment: Randolph was and always will be a Yankee. Stearns was robbed of an opportunity to manage this team.

13
Rightful Owner(s): Edgardo Alfonzo
Rent-A-Met: Billy Wagner

Comment: Fonzie was perhaps the one true Met on the 1999-2000 playoff teams.

14
Rightful Owner(s): Gil Hodges
Rent-A-Met: None

Comment: Gil was a Dodger first, but will always be remembered as a Met as well. You know the Mets will trot out his widow Joan to take down the Game #14 sign.

15
Rightful Owner(s): Jerry Grote
Rent-A-Met: Carlos Beltran

Comment: When he’s not rustling cattle, Grote was a helluva defensive catcher. Beltran on the other hand has many years to go before being considered a Met.
Please visit www.metspolice.com and help stop black uniforms.